The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.

click above image for boxscore

THE GOOD: David Price. King David looks like he is ready for the regular season with 6 Ks in 5 innings. He gave up 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks…Matt Joyce. Joyce had a double and a triple and is starting to look like that most-days player many of us hope he can be…Power Up. Ben Zobrist, Dan Johnson and Johnny Damon all homered for the Rays.

THE BAD: Sam Fuld. Fuld, who is the likely 4th outfielder went 0-1 and is now just 2-20 in the spring. We usually don’t fret too much about spring batting averages, but with a guy like Fuld, who may not have a guaranteed job, this is not the start he was hoping for. Justin Ruggiano is only 4-19, but he has shown that he can play all 3 outfield spots.

THE TELLING: Evan Longoria was pulled early from the game due to dehydration. He will also miss today’s game…Now Joe Maddon is considering Ben Zobristfor the leadoff role…Manny Ramirez will be in LF today and James Shields will throw during a minor league intrasquad game to avoid facing a division rival.

THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…

The debut of the RI Baseball Book Club went up yesterday. The next “meeting” will be in early-April and we will discuss “The Extra 2%” by Jonah Keri. [Rays Index]

Dirk Hayhurst has set up a fundraising page to help those in Japan. If you make a donation of $50 or more, you will receive call from Dirk thanking you. [Mercy Corps]

The Rays lost Cesar Cabral (a rule 5 pick from the Red Sox) via waivers to the Blue Jays. Cabral was a longshot to make the roster, and as a Rule 5 pick, he had to make the roster (and stay all year) or be offered back to the Red Sox. [MLB Trade Rumors]

Marc Topkin has released his annual “Tampa Bay Rays Power Index” with Evan Longoria topping the rankings for the 3rd straight year. [TampaBay.com]

Gary Shelton explores just how good Evan Longoria can be. [TampaBay.com]

Dan Johnson has lost weight and is looking to take advantage of the opportunity he has this season. [TBO.com]

Tony Fabrizio looks at how Matt Bush turned his career around. [TBO.com]

8 Comments

Longoria was pulled for dehydration? Kind of interesting, since he was at an autograph signing at the new Sam's Club in Riverview that started at 5pm yesterday...which is about an hour in GOOD traffic from Clearwater. Either way, my wife got me a sweeet autographed baseball! Go Rays!

True. And he will still most likely be on the opening day roster simply because he is out of minor league options and Ruggiano would have to be added to the 40-man roster. But Fuld still needs to show at least a little bat. Ruggiano is also a good glove and can play all 3 spots.

Something has to give on the stadium situation, and it has to start with Foster giving the Rays permission to explore other sites around the Tampa Bay area, then cooperation from the new Tampa mayor, and the other merry men and women who rule. At least then, Rays exec Michael Kalt could try to find a workable solution. If not, expect the threats (sale, relocation and/or contraction) to escalate as well as — eventually — the risk of losing the team.

I guess we know who butters Marc's bread now? Why can't the Rays go back to St. Pete, offer another solution or proposal in the gateway and then if you get defeated or shot down again, then you would have all the public opinion on your side?!

I can't believe Marc doesn't understand the facts and the issues. Honestly, that is a disgrace. What is St. Pete supposed to do, release the Rays from the lease and let them walk away scot free? What a naieve fool!

Any scenario I've read about in which the Rays build a stadium other than in St. Pete involves buying out the lease in some way, not "walking away scot-free". I'm not saying a stadium outside St. Pete is a good or a bad idea -- but if you are going to comment on this issue, at least represent the discussion accurately.